471-Caring for Wildlife in Home Habitats, with David Mizejewski

Joe Lamp'l· Host0:00

Hi, everybody. This is Joe Lamp'l, the Joe behind Joe Gardener, and welcome to The Joe Gardener Show. So you wanna do right by the birds, the bees, the butterflies, but what if some of the things that you've been doing or not doing are actually working against the very wildlife you're trying to help? Today we're recording live from the Atlanta Botanical Garden with one of the most trusted voices in wildlife conservation in America, naturalist, television host, and 26-year veteran of the National Wildlife Federation, David Mizejewski. Known to millions from Backyard Habitat on Animal Planet, regular appearances on the Today Show, Good Morning America, and Conan, and the award-winning book Attracting Birds, Butterflies, and Other Backyard Wildlife, David has made it his life's work to help everyday people create real thriving habitat right outside their back door. On today's show, it's all about caring for wildlife in home habitats, the real science behind leaving the leaves, and why spring cleanup may be doing more damage than you think, the mosquito spray industry's dirty little secret everyone should know, what those bee hotels are actually doing to your native bees, and what to know when you find a baby bird on the ground. And what about those bird feeders? Are they actually helping your backyard birds, or are we just making ourselves feel good? This conversation is loaded with great information for everyone who wants to be a better steward of the wildlife under your watch. So let's get started, and as we do, thanks to our sponsors for today's episode, Dramm and the Ultimate Gardening Sheath. For as long